Switch



Nov. 10, 1931. H. R. MILLER 1,831,604

SWITCH Filed Jan. 17, 1930 M Mi .L j

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 10, 1931 uNrrcD STATES PATENT ounce v f HENRY n, MILLER. or Bnnnvltnn, PENNSYLVANIA, Inserenten @eminem "no ,Y PAUL o, HeLa-MAN, or nutren-oogenrnNNsYLvAQNlA i Application mea January 17, 11930. serialv in. 421,385.

This invention relates toa switch and has for its pimary 4objet-:t the, provision lof a roT tary type of switch including recipi'ocatoi'y Contact elements. cooperating with statlonacy i actuators whereby notary movement of the switch willlbejeonvorted into ,recipmcatory movements inthe actuation of the switch.

object of the inventions the. provision of@ swteh .Strnotnreinelnding reciprocating il oontoot elements enclosed-by the coni-Ponent.

parts of the-switch structure for minimizing @eine o A. other object of the invention resides in thenovel construction of each contact ele- :13 ment and .its ooouerotverelation with. AConrnge whereby the eontnei rings may be electrically connected together in one posi.-v tion of the Contact element and electricallgT disconnected in another position ofthe con- 26 met element. c

t AQfeeture of the invention resides inthe novel loestion ofthe actuators, the foilnef tionof tiierreoeeees contiguous to the conf element and the specific structural feotures` of the oontoot element, which enables the switch device to `.fnnoton ,with o. Snap notion 4ro-inon-re perfect electrical Contact and minimizing-of eroine, l l t f Another' 'feature of my invention'resideein the simplicity of oonstnotion of component parte and the novel manner of i assembly, which not only reduces reduction costs but assures Perfect, elefeiroa' connection between the` parte resulting in long lifeguished in the use of `a rotor which ie `silentlymimintedo Contact element for tr'oally connecting 'or disconnecting o pff-nr' invention will 'be better un er'stood fromthe following detail description token in conne@- `Figure is a A'frontelevation .of the switclnV Figure v2 isa vert-ical section online 2 2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a Vertical section ,along line l 3--3of Figui-'e Q, Y

Beside the obove my invention is f listin-v tion with `the accompanying drawings Where-L Figurcfiis an v.enlarged sectional View adj a.: cent the Contact clement, `Figli-re -5 is an enlarged sectional View ud,- jaccnt `the vcontact element illustratingthe foifmationrof the recess, t

` vItgurill be 'noted that the-invention con: sists basically `cfa `rotor '1 andaswitchdievice, 2 directlycaI-riecl thereby and zo-functioning with stationary actuators 3.

-The rotor 1 .consists of a shaft 2 rotatably supported by the housing 3 andhavingfone end portion 4 extcniorly arranged to have dinectly-'attached IktheI-eto the operating `knob 5. `MountedA on the shaft is a fad-isc' glinectly carnying the metallic rings -7 vand :8 lthat ane insulated therefrom bythe insulating vbands 9; Slidabljy supported by the bands as -well asthe rings, is 'a switch device 2, shown in this particular instance as consisting of a Contact. element 10, prcfenalo'ly in the form ofa pin of the requiredlength'to span lthe distance between the Iii-nge in one pesl-tionfof the contact element. Thus, it will be apprecia'ted that the rings are electnicaily icon,- nccted together. ITo-interri'lpt the electrical connectionbetween the rings I ari-flange upon one end-of the pinion contact element 10,fau insulating tip "11 so positioned that coutact'element is in its other .position,the tip A'lV-1 will engage .one of ftheiingsvandelecf .tricall-y disconnect thesanie from the other ring. To .accomplish manipulation ofthe contact element 10, in an .economical fmilll I have illustrated the actuators "g3 inthe orm of motelliofetripe ,lialinving boue-d extremities 13 theteie '.Slidnbiy related `with the Contact rinse end-adapted to Snap into enfgngeinent with the ends ofthe pin when the bowed extremities are aligned the Wedge Shaped recesses leionnesi ijn the ringe in alignment with 'the Contact element 11T At:

tention is called .to the feet 'niet thelreeesee'e le ore eeo'h Provided `with eninolinen wall 15 S0 Positioned th-etefter the eontnet 'enfin or actuatoi1 V3 snaps Vinto engagement" Wit' the `contact element-'1l `the inc inegi 'Wall will automatically 4torce the actuatoi` from the lrecess in ther'novemcnt of the rotor.

VTo complete the invention, yprovide te?? minal. strips or contacts 16 constantly'bearvidcd with "yieldable contacts or wiper elements 17 that have a direct sliding engagement with the contact element l0.

In operation of the device, the knob 5 is given a partial rotation for giving arcuate movement to the rotor, this action bringing the contact element 10 into engagement with either one of the actuators 3 and due to the resilient action of the-latter, .the contact element `l0 is snapped into eitherone of its twopositions, depending upon which .actuator engages the contact element. This snapping engagement of the actuator with the contact element throws the same in a rectilinear direction which causes the contact element to 1 metallicly bridge the distance between the rings as shown in Figure 2, or cause the same to move to its other position, whereby the contact ll is brought into play for insulating one ring from the other and thereby destroying electrical connection between the rings.

vIn concluding, I wish tocall attention to the simplicity of construction of the component parts of the invention and the mode of assembly which enables me to produce, not

only a relatively low cost article, but one pos-l sessing afuniquc action brought about by the novel construction and arrangement of the contact element with relation to the rotor, which converts rotary motion of the latter into' reciprocatory movement yof the former for opening and closing an electric circuit. It is'of course to be understood that component parts of the invention may be re-j designed -and assembled in other 'relationsl than illustrated and therefore I do not desire to be limited in protection in anyY manner whatsoever'except as set forth in the followingclaims. f

' WhatI claim is: I i a Y 1. A switch comprising a rotor and a switch devicecarried solely by and having a reciprocatory relation with said rotor and adapted to be operated by the latter in the movement thereof. j i

2. A switch comprising a rotor, a knob for turning the rotor a contact element carried solely by and having a sliding relation with said rotor and means for actuating said contact element in the rotations of said rotor for opening and closing a circuit.

, .3. A switch comprising a rotor including metallic rings, a contact element slidably supported by said rotor rto electrically con-V nect and disconnect said rings and means aryreareoi ranged to operate said contact element in predetermined positions of said rotor.

4. A switch structure comprising a rotatably mounted disc, contact rings secured to but insulated from said disc, a contact element for electrical connection and disconnection with said rings, and stationary means arranged to reciprocate said contact elementinthe rotary movement of said disc.

5'. A switch comprising a housing, a shaft journaled in the housing, an operating knob connected to said shaft, a disc mounted on said shaft, a pair of metallic rings supported by butinsulated from said disc, a slidably mounted contact element for establishing electrical connection between the rings, and stationarymembers arranged to engage said pin and operate the same according to the rotary movementof said disc.

6. A switch comprising a housing, an operating shaft journaledin the housing, a disc mounted on the shaft, "a pair lofmetallic ringsmounted upon but insulated from said disc, a slidably mounted contact-element for .establishing electrical connection between said rings, said elementincluding an insulating tip engaging one of the rings to interrupt electrical connection between the rings when the contact element is in a predetermined position, and stationary members arranged to periodically engage said contact element and move the same according to the rotary movement of said disc.

7 In a structure as described, a pair of contact rings and a contact element slidably related therewith consisting of a metallic pin of'alength to span the distance between the rings and an insulating tip mounted upon the pin to electrically disconnect the rings when the pin is in a predetermined position.'

8.k In a switch structure, a pair of contact rings, a pin slidably mountedV within the rings to electrically connect the same t0- gether when in a predetermined position and an insulating element mounted on said pin 'to electrically disconnect vthe rings when the pin is in its other position.

sulating element mounted on said pin to elec` trically disconnect the rings when the pinis in its other position, and snap elements arranged to have a snapping engagement with said pin in predetermined positions of said pin. Y 10. In. a switch structure, a pair of con-` tact rings insulated from each other, a metal-: lic contact pin slidably supported by said rings, to establish electrical connection therebetween an insulating tip upon one end of the pin t'o break electrical connection between the rings when the pin is in a predetermined position, said rings having Wedge shaped recesses aligning with said pin and sprlng aotuators mounted in stationary positions relative to the rotary action of said rings to periodically snap nt'o engagement with said pin for moving the same into either of its two positions.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HENRY R. MILLER. 

